


Something Sweet

by AurayaPhoenix



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Baking, Christmas, Family, Gen, Post-War, Weasley Family-centric (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 14:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17123288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AurayaPhoenix/pseuds/AurayaPhoenix
Summary: Written for the Christmas Writing Challenge for Dumbledore's Army on Facebook (2018)





	Something Sweet

Something Sweet

The sun was only just rising over the gravelled yard of the burrow. Chickens were poking their feathered heads out of their coops and the first rays of golden light began to glint off the upper windows and into Ron's bedroom. He rolled over, grumbling, and went back to sleep curled around Hermione. 

Downstairs though, one member of the household was already hard at work. Fleur Delacour was in the kitchen and determinedly (though nervously; this was Molly's domain after all, and she hadn't been invited to use it) trying to bake. She may not have Molly's natural instinct for domesticity, but she made up for it with sheer bull-headedness. 

Fleur had borrowed her Grandmother's old recipe cards and was reading the next step carefully while her wand directed the whisk towards the egg whites. When her Bill had first proposed that they spend Christmas at the Burrow, Fleur had been reluctant. It was obvious to her that the family didn't like her. In the run up to the wedding the women in particular had been downright hostile. But they had been through a war since then, and Bill had been scarred, and they had lost Fred, and she was hoping that now she might finally be fully accepted. 

She began to pour the boiling hot syrup into the egg whites while her wand continued to direct the whisk. It was so satisfying watching the peaks go all glossy as she continued to whip the meringue. Now for the colour. She went with a pale orange. Not very Christmas-y, but definitely very Weasley. 

As she poured the mixture onto the charmed baking tray in perfect little circle shapes she reflected on how her pursuit of acceptance was going. There was definitely less hostility. Hermione and Ginny were no longer cruel behind her back, but there was a lack of warmth there too. She suspected that Harry had something to do with mellowing the girls out. He had become a true friend over the course of the last 6 months since the end of the war. Her real issue was Molly. There would be no true family feeling between her and the others until she won over the matriarch of the family. Hence the baking. 

The beauty of magic was that you could skip the need for a precisely timed bake in the oven. Fleur ran her wand over the baking tray and watched with satisfaction as the little orange puddles rose and hardened into perfect, glossy discs. She left them to one side as she turned towards the whipping cream. She brought it to a boil and added chocolate, stirring gently as it melted together. Fleur then cooled it a little and directed it towards the meringue in a neat stream. As a final touch she added a small amount of jam and then placed another meringue disk onto each to form sandwiches. 

Just as Fleur was finishing the last couple of treats, she heard some movement from upstairs. Molly must be waking up, ready to begin preparing Christmas dinner. Fleur's kitchen time was up. She sent a quick cooling charm at the tray of macarons, and then a nifty little transfiguration at them to perfect their design. Finally, she piled them into a neat pyramid on the most beautiful plate she could find and sent a Scourgify at the used cookware. A final sprinkle of edible glitter over the pile of desserts and then Molly came through the door and froze. 

Wide eyed, Molly stepped towards the table and stared at the mountain of beautiful, glittering, French macarons; now decorated with a stylised golden 'W'. 

"You made these?" Molly whispered. 

"Oui," replied Fleur. 

"Thank you," Molly half sobbed, and grabbed Fleur into a huge hug. "I needed this today."

Fleur returned the hug gladly, and answered, "Well, I believe zat Christmas is a time for somezing sweet."


End file.
